Strategic beliefs of port authorities

CITATION

van Der Lugt, L., de Langen, P., & Hagdorn, L. (2017). Strategic beliefs of port authorities. Transport Reviews, 37(4), 412–441.

For library access / research help in a similar topic: anyangoceline19@gmail.com 

ABSTRACT
Over the last decade, insights from the strategic management
discipline have increasingly been applied to ports. A review of
literature shows that in the analysis of port authority strategy,
mainly outside-in approaches are applied. This paper adds to the
emerging understanding of the port authority’s strategy by
applying a cognitive perspective. Specifically, the strategic
cognition of firms’ executives is one of the explanatory variables
behind firms’ strategic decisions. Furthermore, cognitions are
influenced by the organisational contexts in which port authority
executives have worked. As a result, managerial “mental maps’
may vary across industry contexts and over time. This research
investigates the strategic cognition of a global set of port
authority executives through a survey-based instrument. The
results show that, to a large extent, PAs resemble “regular” forprofit
companies, but that they possess some specific beliefs that
distinguish them from “regular” companies.


REFERENCES
Andrews, R., Boyne, G. A., & Walker, R. M. (2011). Dimensions of publicness and organizational performance: A review of the evidence. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 21
(Suppl 3), i301–i319.

Baird, A. J. (1995). Privatisation of trust ports in the United Kingdom: Review and analysis of the first sales. Transport Policy, 2(2), 135–143.

Baird, A. J. (2000). Port privatisation: Objectives, extent, process, and the UK experience. Maritime
Economics & Logistics, 2(3), 177–194.

Baltazar, R., & Brooks, M. R. (2007). Port governance, devolution, and the matching framework: A configuration theory approach. In M. R. Brooks, & K. Cullinane (Eds.), Devolution, port governance and port performance (pp. 379–403). London: Elsevier.

Barney, J. B., & Zajac, E. J. (1994). Competitive organizational behavior: Toward an organizationally based theory of competitive advantage. Strategic Management Journal, 15(S1), 5–9.

Baron, R. A. (2004). The cognitive perspective: A valuable tool for answering entrepreneurship’s basic “‘why’” questions. Journal of Business Venturing, 19, 221–239.

Beckert, J. (1999). Agency, entrepreneurs, and institutional change: The role of strategic choice and
institutionalized practices in organizations. Organization Studies, 5, 777–799. doi: 10.1177/
0170840699205004

Bichou, K., & Gray, R. (2005). A critical review of conventional terminology for classifying seaports.
Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 39(1), 75–92.

Boyne, G. A. (2002). Public and private management: What’s the difference? Journal of Management
Studies, 39(1), 97–122.

Brooks, M. R. (2004). The governance structure of ports. Review of Network Economics, 3(2), 168–183.

Brooks, M. R., & Cullinane, K. (Eds.). (2006). Devolution, port governance and port performance (Vol. 17). London: Elsevier.

Chen, S. L. (2009). Port administrative structure change worldwide: Its implication for restructuring
port authorities in Taiwan. Transport Reviews, 29(2), 163–181.

Cheng, S.-L., & Chang, H.-C. (2009). Performance implications of cognitive complexity: An empirical study of cognitive strategic groups in semiconductor industry. Journal of Business Research, 62, 1311–1320.

Child, J. (1972). Organizational structure, environment and performance: The role of strategic choice.
Sociology, 6(1), 1–22. doi: 10.1177/003803857200600101

Child, J., Rodrigues, S. B., & Tse, K. K. T. (2012). The dynamics of influence in corporate Co-evolution. Journal of Management Studies, 49(7), 1246–1273.

Chlomoudis, C.I., & Pallis, A.A. (2004). Port governance and the smart port authority: Key issues for the reinforcement of quality services in European ports. Proceedings of the 10th world conference on
transport research, (CD-Rom), Istanbul, June 2004.

Cho, T. S., & Hambrick, D. C. (2006). Attention as the mediator between top management
team characteristics and strategic change: The case of airline deregulation. Organization
Science, 17(4), 453–469.

Coeck, C., Notteboom, T., Verbeke, A., & Winkelmans, W. (1996). A resource-based perspective on strategic port planning. In Smitz, & Thues (Eds.), Proceedings of the 11th harbour Congress (pp. 29–41). The Royal Flemish Society of Engineers, Antwerp, June 17–21.

Daft, R. L., & Weick, K. E. (1984). Toward a model of organizations as interpretation systems. Academy of Management Review, 9(2), 284–295.

Dearborn, D. C., & Simon, H. A. (1958). Selective perception: A note on the departmental identifications of executives. Sociometry, 21(2), 140–144.

Denktas-Sakar, G., & Karatas-Cetin, C. (2012). Port sustainability and stakeholder management in
supply chains: A framework on resource dependence theory. The Asian Journal of Shipping and
Logistics, 28(3), 301–319.

Donselaar, P. W.-V., & Kolkman, J. (2010). Societal costs and benefits of cooperation between port
authorities. Maritime Policy & Management, 37(3), 271–284.

Dooms, M., van der Lugt, L., & de Langen, P. W. (2013). International strategies of port authorities:
The case of the port of Rotterdam authority. Research in Transportation Business & Management,
8, 148–157.

Dooms, M., & Verbeke, A. (2007). Stakeholder management in ports: A conceptual framework integrating insights from research in strategy, corporate social responsibility and port management. IAME 2007 annual conference 2007, Athens.

Dooms, M., Verbeke, A., & Haezendonck, E. (2013). Stakeholder management and path dependence
in large-scale transport infrastructure development: The port of Antwerp case (1960–2010).
Journal of Transport Geography, 27, 15–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2012.06.002

Everett, S., & Robinson, R. (1998). Port reform in Australia: Issues in the ownership debate. Maritime Policy and Management, 25(1), 41–62.

Foss, N. J. (1996). Research In strategy, economics, and Michael porter*. Journal of Management
Studies, 33(1), 1–24.

Foss, N. J. (1998). The resource-based perspective: An assessment and diagnosis of problems.
Scandinavian Journal of Management, 14(3), 133–149.

Frankel, E. G. (1989). Strategic planning applied to shipping and ports. Maritime Policy and
Management, 16(2), 123–132.

Goss, R. O. (1990). Economic policies and seaports: Strategies for PAs. Maritime Policy and
Management, 17(4), 273–287.

Hall, P. V., & Jacobs, W. (2010). Shifting proximities: The maritime ports sector in an era of global
supply chains. Regional Studies, 44(9), 1103–1115.

Hambrick, D. C., & Mason, P. A. (1984). Upper echelons: The organization as a reflection of its top managers. Academy of Management Review, 9(2), 193–206.

Haugstetter, H., & Cahoon, S. (2010). Strategic intent: Guiding port authorities to their new world?
Research in Transportation Economics, 27(1), 30–36.

Hitt, M. A., & Tyler, B. B. (1991). Strategic decision models: Integrating different perspectives. Strategic Management Journal, 12, 327–351.

Hodgkinson, G. P., & Healey, M. P. (2008). Cognition in organizations. Annual Review of Psychology, 59, 387–417.

Hofstede, G. H. (2001). Culture’s consequences: Comparing values, behaviors, institutions and organizations across nations. Sage.

Hollen, R.M.A., Van Den Bosch, F.A.J., & Volberda, H.W. (2013). Business model innovation of the Port of Rotterdam Authority (2000–2012). In B. Kuipers & R. Zuidwijk (Eds.), Smart port perspectives: Essays in Honour of Hans Smits (pp. 29–47). Rotterdam: SmartPort. ISBN: 978-90-819767-1-8
.
Huff, A. S. (1990). Mapping strategic thought. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Ircha, M. C. (2001). Port strategic planning: Canadian port reform. Maritime Policy & Management, 28 (2), 125–140.

Johnson, G. (1992). Managing strategic change – strategy, culture and action. Long Range Planning,
25(1), 28–36.

Kaplan, S. (2011). Research in cognition and strategy: Reflections on two decades of progress and a
look to the future. Journal of Management Studies, 48(3), 665–695.

Lam, J. S. L., & Notteboom, T. (2014). The greening of ports: A comparison of port management tools used by leading ports in Asia and Europe. Transport Reviews, 34(2), 169–189.

de Langen, P. W. (2004). The performance of seaport clusters (PhD dissertation). ERIM, Erasmus
University Rotterdam.

de Langen, P. W. (2008). Ensuring Hinterland Access: The Role of PAs, Discussion Paper of OECD
International Transport Forum, Paris, France, October.

de Langen, P. W., & Haezendonck, E. (2012). Ports as clusters of economic activity. The Blackwell
Companion to Maritime Economics, 638–655.

de Langen, P. W., & Pallis, A. A. (2007). Entry barriers in seaports. Maritime Policy & Management, 34(5), 427–440.

de Langen, P. W., & Heij, C. (2014). Corporatisation and performance: A literature review and an analysis of the performance effects of the corporatisation of port of Rotterdam authority. Transport
Reviews 34(3), 1–19.

de Langen, P. W., Nijdam, M., & van der Horst, M. R. (2007). New indicators to measure port performance. Journal of Maritime Research, IV(1), 23–36.

de Langen, P. W., Van Den Berg, R., & Willeumier, A. (2012). A new approach to granting terminal concessions: The case of the Rotterdam World Gateway terminal. Maritime Policy & Management, 39(1), 79–90.

van der Lugt, L., Dooms, M., & Parola, F. (2013). Strategy making by hybrid organizations: The case of the port authority. Research in Transportation Business & Management, 8, 103–113.

van der Lugt, L., Langen, P. D., & Hagdorn, L. (2015). Beyond the landlord: Worldwide empirical analysis of port authority strategies. International Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics, 7(5), 570–596.

van der Lugt, L. M., Rodrigues, S. B., & Van den Berg, R. (2014). Co-evolution of the strategic reorientation of port actors: Insights from the port of Rotterdam and the port of Barcelona. Journal of
Transport Geography, 41, 197–209.

McLaughlin, H., & Fearon, C. (2013). Understanding the development of port and regional relationships: A new cooperation/competition matrix. Maritime Policy & Management, 40(3), 278–294.

Meyer, R. (2007). Mapping the mind of the strategist, a quantitative methodology for measuring the strategic beliefs of executives, ERIM PhD Series Research in Management 106, ISBN: 90-5892-141-3. Rotterdam: Erasmus University.

Monios, J. (2015). Identifying governance relationships between intermodal terminals and logistics
platforms. Transport Reviews, 35(6), 767–791.

Nadkarni, S., & Barr, P. S. (2008). Environmental context, managerial cognition, and strategic action:
An integrated view. Strategic Management Journal, 29(13), 1395–1421.

Narayanan, V. K., Zane, L. J., & Kemmerer, B. (2011). The cognitive perspective in strategy: An integrative review. Journal of Management, 37(1), 305–351.

Ng, A. K.-Y., & Pallis, A. A. (2010). Port governance reforms in diversified institutional frameworks:
Generic solutions, implementation asymmetries. Environment and Planning A, 42(9), 2147–2167.

Nicolini, D. (1999). Comparing methods for mapping organizational cognition. Organization Studies,
20(5), 833–860.

Notteboom, T. (2006). Concession agreements as port governance tools. Research in Transportation
Economics, 17, 437–455.

Notteboom, T. E., Pallis, A. A., & Farrell, S. (2012). Terminal concessions in seaports revisited. Maritime Policy & Management, 39(1), 1–5.

Notteboom, T., & Rodrigue, J.-P. (2005). Port regionalization: Towards a new phase in port development. Maritime Policy and Management, 32(3), 297–313.

Notteboom, T., De Langen, P., & Jacobs, W. (2013). Institutional plasticity and path dependence in
seaports: Interactions between institutions, port governance reforms and port authority routines.
Journal of Transport Geography, 27, 26–35.

Notteboom, T., & Winkelmans, W. (2001). Structural changes in logistics: How will PAs face the challenge? Maritime Policy and Management, 28(1), 71–89.

Pallis, A. A., Vitsounis, T. K., De Langen, P. W., & Notteboom, T. E. (2011). Port economics, policy and management: Content classification and survey. Transport Reviews, 31(4), 445–471.

Pettigrew, A., & Whipp, R. (1991). Managing change for competitive success. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.

Porac, J. F., & Thomas, H. (2002). Managing cognition and strategy: Issues, trends and future directions. Handbook of Strategy and Management, 165–181.

Rainey, H. G., Backoff, R. W., & Levine, C. H. (1976). Comparing public and private organizations. Public Administration Review, 36(2), 233–244.

Robinson, R. (2002). Ports as elements in value-driven chain systems: The new paradigm. Maritime
Policy & Management, 29(3), 241–255.

Robinson, R. (2006). Port-oriented landside logistics in Australian ports: A strategic framework.
Maritime Economics & Logistics, 8(1), 40–59.

Rodrigue, J.-P., Debrie, J., Fremont, A., & Gouvernal, E. (2010). Functions and actors of inland ports:
European and North American dynamics. Journal of Transport Geography, 18, 519–529.

Schwenk, C. R. (1988). The cognitive perspective on strategic decision making. Journal of
Management Studies, 25(1), 41–55.

Scott, W. R. (1995). Organizations and institutions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Stubbart, C. I. (1989). Managerial cognition: A missing link in strategic management research. Journal of Management Studies, 26(4), 326–347.

Sutcliffe, K. M., & Huber, G. P. (1988). Firm and industry as determinants of executive perceptions of the environment. Strategic Management Journal, 19, 793–807.

Thomas, J. B., Clark, S. M., & Gioia, D. A. (1993). Strategic sense making and organizational performance: Linkages among scanning. The Academy of Management Journal, 36(2), 239–270.

Tripsas, M., & Gavetti, G. (2000). Capabilities, cognition and inertia: Evidence from digital imaging.
Strategic Management Journal, 21, 1147–1161.

Verhoeven, P. (2006). Port management reform in Europe: Is there a role for the EU. Ports are more
than piers–Liber Amicorum presented to Prof. Dr. Willy Winkelmans (pp. 35–55). Antwerpen: De
Lloyd.

Verhoeven, P. (2010). A review of port authority functions: Towards a renaissance? Maritime Policy & Management, 37(3), 247–270.

Vieira, G. B. B., Kliemann Neto, F. J., & Amaral, F. G. (2014). Governance, governance models and port performance: A systematic review. Transport Reviews, 34(5), 645–662.

Walsh, J. P. (1995). Managerial and organizational cognition: Notes from a trip down memory lane.
Organization Science, 6(3), 280–321.

Wang, J. J., Ng, A. K., & Olivier, D. (2004). Port governance in China: A review of policies in an era of internationalizing port management practices. Transport Policy, 11(3), 237–250.

de Wit, B., & Meyer, R. (2004). Strategy – process, content, context: An international perspective.
Hampshire: Cengage Learning.

Woo, S.-H., Pettit, S. J., Kwak, D.-W., & Beresford, A. (2011). Seaport research: A structured literature review on methodological issues since the 1980s. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 45, 665–687.

World Bank. (2007). Port reform toolkit (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: World Bank.